Dick's been wanting to do this for awhile now...

He can't remember how long ago it was that he actually promised her, but she's never forgotten.

And when she grabbed the phone away from her father when Dick had called, squealing at him down the line about the flyer she'd received, and how much she really wanted to go, and how he'd promised. Her little girls voice was so full of excitement and hope that there was no way he could say no.

Especially when Roy volunteered to take his patrol for the night so Dick could relax, and even offered the use of the Ferrari because Dick's bike wouldn't do.

They'd come early so they could see the animals before the show started, and Lian hadn't stopped chattering since he'd picked her up, his face was already starting to ache from smiling so much...She had a way of doing that to him.

Now they're standing in front of a rope barrier, watching the elephants rock from side to side and stuff hay in their mouths.

"They smell real bad Uncle Dick!" Lian say's, and she scrunches up her nose like it's the worst thing she's ever smelt.

Dick laughs "That's one of the circus smells you grow to love Lian." he say's.

"Elephant smell?" Lian asks, and she's looking very puzzled.

Dick pauses for a moment as he searches for words to explain. Then he drops into a crouch in front of her, and reaches out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear."Well...You know how your dad always say's he loves the smell of rain? The way it smells when the first rain starts to fall?" he asks.

"Yeah.." Lian replies, and her eyes light up the way they always do when she has Dick's undivided attention.

Dick loves that look..like he's the smartest, most important person in her world at that moment. "He say's it reminds him of the storms that sometimes swept across the reservation..." he explains.

"When he was a little boy.." Lian adds, and she's not sure what this has to do with smelly elephants, but Uncle Dick thinks it does, so she's just going to play along for now.

Dick nods. "Yes..it reminds him of some of the good things he remembers about his childhood. But even though I like the rain, I don't much like the smell of it when it first starts, because..."

"It smells like wet dirt." Lian grins, and she's remembering a conversation overheard between her dad and her 'Uncle' a long time ago.

Dick chuckles, he loves that she's so quick to catch on. "Yeah, so..."

"Stinky elephants make you 'member stuff from when you were a little kid growing up in the circus." Lian finishes, then nods her understanding. "The good stuff, kinda like when I smell a wet dog it 'minds me of Uncle Gar after he goes for a swim. And then I think about the pool at the Tower, and when we used to live there." she adds, grinning wider.

Dick can't help but laugh at that, and he scoops the little girl up as he stands, and settles her on his hip. "Exactly!" he states, and he presses his nose to hers, and they're both grinning as he walks towards a trailer further up the track, the one with the lions painted on the side.

The crowd has slowly begun to grow as show time gets closer, and very soon there's a whole bunch of people standing behind them as they watch the lion's. As a result Dick and Lian are jostled closer to the fence that forms a barricade around the trailer, and Dick's glad he still has Lian on his hip, or he's sure she'd get squashed.

The people are oohing and ahhing, and the big cats are chewing on bones, or stretching. Lian sucks in a deep breath, like she's savouring a good cooking smell, or sniffing a rose. "Ahhh..circus smell!" she states enthusiastically, feigning appreciation of the animal smell the cats exude, after all, Uncle Dick likes stinky animals, so she should as well.

Dick chuckles, unlike the elephants, lion smell is definitely an odour that he hasn't grown to love...

They stand there for a while longer, and Lian catches sight of yellowed fangs mid lion yawn, and she isn't at all impressed by feline hygiene...so Dick finds himself explaining just how difficult it would be to brush a lion's teeth.

And Lian nods, she agree's, and thinks cleaning a lion's teeth would be a good job for Superman, and she decides she'll ask him next time she see's him, because she doesn't want the lions to get toothache.

They leave the lion's, and wander up towards the horses. Lian squeals happily as she spies them, and wriggles down from Dick's arms to run to the barricade. "Can you buy me a pony Uncle Dick?" she asks innocently, and she's careful to bat her eyes just so..the way she does when she wants Uncle Ollie to give her another lolly.

""I really don't think one would fit in your apartment Lian." Dick explains.

Lian frowns, looking for a moment..remarkably like her father when he almost misses a bulls-eye, she'd really hoped batting her eyes would work. She thinks for a moment, then asks. "Do they make really little ones Uncle Dick?"

She huffs loudly when Dick say's "Not small enough for an apartment in the city Princess." and the look on her face says that nature has slipped up by not creating a pocket pony just for her.

Lian stares at the horses and wonders if she could talk her Aunty Dinah into asking Zatanna to shrink one down to size. She's pretty sure there's a spell for that.

By now the crowd has gotten quite large, and Dick decides they will have to look at the rest of the animals at intermission. "Cotton Candy?" Dick asks..he doesn't need to ask twice, and the ponies are forgotten as Lian drags him towards the entrance of the circus tent..and the awaiting junk food.

There's already a line forming, but it's not too long, yet, and Dick's glad he decided to buy their tickets earlier..waiting in one line is bad enough, he hates standing around.

Lian is being jostled by show-goers that walk past, and pretty soon she's clinging to Dick's leg, trying hard not to get lost. Dick reaches down and hoists her onto his shoulders, she squeals happily and grabs a couple of fistfuls of his dark glossy hair and hangs on. Dick grins as he hears her chattering away, he can't understand a word she is saying above the noise of the crowd and the music the band has started to play, but she's happy, and safe, and that's all that matters to Dick.

A few minutes later,he has cotton candy, popcorn and drinks, and he's trying to balance it all,and keep one arm looped over Lian's foot so she doesn't fall.. It's not easy, but he manages, and before long they're in their seats and waiting.

Lian's so excited she can't she sit still, and Dick tries hard not to grin as he chides her again for standing on her seat. He tells her that the show won't start any faster no matter how many times she asks "How much longer.",but he wishes it would, because secretly he's pretty darned excited himself.

And..drrrummrolll..

The next forty five minutes is jam packed with excitement. The clowns have them both clutching their sides and shrieking with laughter, and the ponies have Lian mesmerised as they trot around the ring..and Dick just knows she still plotting how to get hold of one..

The magician does the usual and pulls rabbits from hats, which Lian thinks is cute..and she's wondering if a rabbit would be a better fit in her apartment then a pony..

Dick nearly dies when it comes time to saw the assistant in half, Lian has obviously never seen this particular trick.."You do that and my Uncle Dick will punch you in the nose!." she yells, the crowd laughs, Dick blushes, and spends a few moments whispering in her ear..explaining the finer points of the trick.

Lian thinks it's a dumb trick, and she says so..loudly.."Pretending to cut someone up is stupid!" she declares, crossing her arms across her chest.

Dick's glad when the magician moves on and the clowns return.

They're laughing again, and Dick's eyes are watering, he hasn't laughed this much in a long time, it feels good, and it feels even better to be sharing the fun with Lian.

Lion Tamer's next, and Lian's not happy about the whip, she kind of wishes the lion's would scratch the man..But then decides that's not a nice thing to wish for, lion scratches would probably hurt real bad. She decides to ask Superman to take the lions to live somewhere else when he comes to brush their teeth. Maybe Uncle Dick could talk to his daddy and the lions could live at Wayne Manor..They'd be happy there.

Lian's just thinking about how much the lion's would like Alfred's cooking when the ringmaster say's it's intermission..Lian's not sure what the 'mission' is, but she's looking forward to finding out.

The 'mission', Dick explains when she asks..is to win her a stuffed toy from the small sideshow alley that's attached to the circus..Lian likes this mission.

I takes Dick three tries to knock the right duck out of the fake pond it's swimming in. He's pretty sure Roy would have got it first go, but Lian doesn't comment, she's too busy giving him instructions on how to throw properly.

She picks a giant stuffed frog, it's ugly, at least Dick thinks so. He's disappointed that she didn't pick the stuffed elephant..it was cute. Harper's have no taste in toy's he decides, and three throws later he has the elephant, he'll give it to Babs..it looked too lonely to leave on the shelf.

Lian say's she needs to go to the bathroom..Dick blanches, he can't take her into the men's room..and all the women are strangers. He's starting to sweat, and Lian's crossing her legs and whimpering."I'm gonna pee my pants Uncle Dick!" she yells above the noise of the crowd.

Dick feels a little queasy as he tows her towards the ladies room. He spots an elderly woman with a trustworthy face, and she smiles at him kindly as he explains his problem, and takes Lian inside.

Dick quickly checks the back of the amenities black to ensure there aren't any other exits. Then he worries that the woman may have come back outside while he was checking..They're taking a long time, he's pacing back and forth, and he's just about convinced himself that he's handed his surrogate 'niece' to some child abductor. He's headed towards the door to check when the woman comes out. "Sorry, line up inside." she explains, handing Lian's hand to him and waving goodbye..Dick feels feint with relief.

They grab a couple of corn dogs, some more drinks and popcorn. Dick struggles inside carrying the frog, the elephant and most of the food and drinks...Lian's munching on her corn dog, and he's made her loop her fingers through his belt and hold on so he doesn't lose her. He's exhausted when they finally sit down.

He stuffs the toys under their seat, and they eat in silence for a few minutes, Dick suspects Lian is tired because the chatter has stopped..his suspicions are confirmed by a sleepy yawn. "Tired baby girl?" he asks..and chuckles when she sits up straight and shakes her head.

"I like the circus Uncle Dick." she say's, even though she's still not happy about the lion's.

"I'm glad." Dick say's, and he's about to say more, but there's another drumroll, and the second half starts with a bang, as the clowns roar out in their clown car..it's backfiring all the way, and the smallest clown falls off and lay's on the ground with his legs in the air..Dick finds himself laughing with Lian, even though he's seen this particular clown act hundreds of times before.

There are performing poodles next. They jump through hoops and do little flips, bark on command and even ride a tiny pony. Dick see's Lian's eyes light up when the pony comes out, and he's waiting for the question he knows is coming..but it's not quite the one he's expecting...

"You could buy me one of those puppies Uncle Dick. They're way smaller then that pony." and she's looking up at him expectantly as if she's just discovered the solution to all the problems in life.

Dick knows the 'apartment is too small' answer won't work with the dog.

"Dogs take a lot of responsibility Lian." he say's, knowing that wasn't going to cut it either.

"Daddy says I'm very 'sponsible Uncle Dick." Lian replies, she wants one of those puppies so bad...maybe the one that's riding the pony, that way, when Uncle Ollie next gives her a horsey ride on his back her puppy can come to.

Dick takes the chicken's way out. "We'll have to ask your dad." he say's, and he's saved from further questions when the dogs leave the ring and the knife thrower comes out.

Lian quickly decides the knife thrower needs to practice more, she chimes in with commentary to that effect, pointing out how he can improve his aim, and just how much better her daddy is at throwing things. She's talking quietly so only Dick can hear..and maybe the little boy in the next seat who looks her way from time to time.

Dick's nodding in agreement, and smiling at the comments she's making, he wishes Roy was here to listen, she's gonna be good when she's old enough for a bow, he thinks.

More clowns, and they aren't laughing quite as much this time, Dick thinks the clowns at Haley's are a little funnier, and Lian's almost asleep.

By the time the acrobats make an appearance she's out to it, slumped against his side under the arm he has wrapped around her. Dick watches the trapeze artists, they're good, but not great, but he's having a great time mentally correcting their swings and judging the flips and summersaults..a little untidy in places, and pretty sloppy on their landings he thinks.

Before too long the shows over, and Dick snuggles Lian closer as he waits for the crowd to clear a bit. When there's less danger of being jostled, he gently lifts her up onto his shoulder, picks the frog and the elephant up in one hand..holding them by a trunk and a green froggy leg, and heads out towards the Ferrari.

He unlocks the car and tosses the toys to the back, then settles Lian into her seat.

She stirs..."Thank you Uncle Dick." she mumbles sleepily.

Dick leans down and feathers a kiss on her brow. "You're welcome Sweetheart." he say's, and because he's already decided he should have done this sooner..and more often..he adds "I'm going to ask your dad to let me take you to a real circus."

Lian stifles a yawn, and looks puzzled..as puzzled as a sleepy five year old can look."Wasn't that a real circus Uncle Dick?" she asks.

"It was a circus, and it was lots of fun." Dick says as he walks around to the other side of the car and crawls into the seat. "But there's only one real circus.." he adds.

Lian smiles sweetly."Haley's?" she asks.

And Dick grins and ruffles her hair. "You got it Sweetheart." and he's realising why Roy's so darned proud of this kid..she's smart and cute..and he hopes to end up with one just like her one day. Dick starts the car and they drive off..and he can't help but chuckle at the little girls last words before she falls back to sleep.

"Don't forget my puppy."

end